Vaginal Infections - A Pathological Appraisal

Summary

Cytology plays a major role in screening for vaginal infections.
In addition to the Papanicolaou (Pap) stain, Gram's stain, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stain, and fungus stain are helpful in identifying the aetiologic agent.
When the patient does not respond to standard treatment, unusual causes of vaginitis should be considered.
A high degree of clinical suspicion combined with adequate clinical details will help the pathologist narrow the possibilities in the search for the aetiological agent.

Editor's Comment

This article, which is written from the pathologist's point of view, reports on 6 year's experience of evaluating the specific causes of vaginal inflammation in symptomatic women of reproductive age.